Seeing the scene before him, Barry thought of his skills in traditional herbal medicine.
Peter tossed his spider suit aside. Exhausted and eager to collapse into bed, he couldn't help but smile as he looked at Barry and the owl, their eyes wide with curiosity. It was oddly comforting.
"I'll head downstairs to get some food for this little guy. Take off your wrist protector, and I'll refill it later," Peter said, carefully opening the door and heading to the kitchen.
When he returned, he had half a fish in hand.
"Fortunately, there was some leftover fish in the fridge. Here you go."
The owl flapped its wings, eagerly accepting the fish. It was about to hoot in thanks when Barry stopped it just in time.
Satisfied with its meal, the owl departed. Today, aside from helping Barry find Peter, it hadn't come across many criminals.
After watching the owl leave, Peter closed the window and turned to Barry.
"Alright, let's take care of your wrist protector."
---
Once the spider silk was replenished, Barry didn't linger. He headed straight back to the apartment.
Upon arriving home, he found Gwen already asleep. Barry quietly opened the window. The warmth inside quickly made him drowsy, and he collapsed into his small bed, falling into a deep sleep.
---
"Barry, Barry, wake up! Someone's here with food for you. This time it's a special dish prepared by a chef from the Dragon Kingdom. Get up!" Gwen's gentle nudging roused Barry from his slumber.
He yawned widely, rubbed his eyes, and looked at Gwen once he was fully awake.
"What did you say?"
"Mr. Adams heard you like Dragon Kingdom cuisine, so he hired a chef to prepare some noodles for you. The food's here," Gwen said, playfully rubbing his face as he did.
"And we're going camping today. You should change. I have no idea what time you got back last night," she added with a hint of reproach.
"Food from the Dragon Kingdom!" Barry's ears perked up, and he was instantly energized.
"Baozi, dumplings, noodles, flower rolls... there's a lot. They'll taste bad if they get cold," Gwen noted, her mouth watering at the thought.
"Okay, I'm coming!" Despite a short night's sleep, the thought of Dragon Kingdom food outside invigorated Barry.
Changing into his pale green casual trousers, Barry hurried to the living room.
Alongside the George family was a middle-aged man in a chef's uniform, with a steady demeanor and the Dragon Kingdom flag on his chest.
The man was momentarily stunned seeing Barry walking naturally on two legs, like a human in a panda suit.
The chef, Charlie, was from a family with deep roots in the Dragon Kingdom. Though his relationship with Adams wasn't close, there was no issue in sending someone for this task.
He was a senior pastry chef in the Dragon Kingdom. No matter how prestigious, a giant panda would always be a unique client.
On the table, rows of pasta dishes awaited, each with a selection of dips.
"Barry, come eat," Charlie said in his native tongue, which brought a sense of comfort to Barry.
Eyeing the food, Barry couldn't resist and grabbed chopsticks, eating under Charlie's astonished gaze.
Leek egg dumplings, celery pork buns, bean paste buns, braised mustard buns, fried buns, fried dumplings, soup buns, shortbread...
The array was vast, possibly to see which pastas Barry favored.
However, it seemed his overnight adventures had left him famished. Before Charlie could recover from his shock, most of the buns and dumplings had vanished.
With Gwen and the others joining in, the food was soon gone, with not even a dip left.
"This is way better than Chinatown; this is even more delicious," George commented, lounging on the sofa contentedly. Finally, a Dragon Kingdom chef had arrived, offering more than just bamboo shoots and fruits.
Though Adams had mentioned Barry's peculiarities, seeing it firsthand was a revelation for Charlie.
As the table was cleared, Charlie smiled with satisfaction. He'd taken into account the whole family's appetite when preparing the meal.
"Burp." Sipping the last of the noodle soup, Barry let out a satisfied belch, sinking into the sofa with contentment.
"It seems Barry isn't picky, which makes cooking easier. I'll just focus on nutrition," Charlie remarked to the Georges.
"It probably doesn't like tomatoes. Last time it raided our fridge, only the tomatoes were untouched," George recalled.
"I'll keep that in mind. Anything else?" Charlie asked.
"Well... it drinks," George admitted.
"Drinking? Did you give it alcohol?" Charlie frowned, thinking the family might be too indulgent.
"No, no, it sneaked some on its own, but it's been fine," George reassured.
"I see... better to keep it away from alcohol. Fresh milk is a better choice," Charlie advised, apologizing, "Sorry, I'm just concerned about the panda's health."
"No worries, we're vigilant. We'd be more anxious if something went wrong."
---
After Mrs. Stacy cleared the table and bamboo cages, Charlie departed.
After some rest, the family prepared for their camping trip.
Due to Barry's unique status, they needed a large bag to discreetly transport him.
Eventually, George and his wife maneuvered a sizable gray bag into the elevator.